New Thief kits...

Along with the four new Bard kits there are four Thief kits to choose from; each should hopefully offer a new gaming experience. Details are:

ADVENTURER: The adventurer is a jack-of-all-trades, not so much a thief as a character who takes advantage of the general thiefly skills on adventures. An Adventurer is preferred by many adventuring parties, because he is much less likely than other thieves to betray or steal from his own companions. The successful Adventurer knows the value of trust and cooperation, while many a "street thief" has been raised on duplicity and (sometimes literal) backstabbing.

Advantages:-Â +5% to Open Locks and Find/Remove Traps every other level

Disadvantages:-Â No backstab multiplier

BURGLAR: This sort of thief is the consummate Burglar. He is an expert at breaking and entering the most difficult buildings, bypassing walls, locks, traps and guardians, grabbing the best loot, and escaping unnoticed as stealthily as he arrived.

Advantages:-Â +10% to Find Traps, Hide In Shadows, Move Silently and Open Locks-Â Can Specialise in Daggers, Darts, and Slings

Disadvantages:-Â -20% to Pick Pockets and Set Traps-Â Gains trap useage at half the rate of a normal thief

SOULKNIFE:This sort of thief, a being possessed of potent psionic power, recognises his or her own mind as the most beautiful and deadly thing in all creation. With practice, they have learned to forge their mental strength into a semisolid blade of pure psychic energy. This weapon, known as a mind blade, means that even when unarmed the soulknife is but a thought away from a deadly strike.

Advantages:-Â Can achieve Mastery in short swords-Â Can manifest a Mind Blade once per day per 10 levels. This short sword is a psionic weapon that lasts for 1 round/level, and counts as being of enchantment 1 higher than it is when determining what it can hit, to a maximum of +5. Each hit heals the Soulknife 1HP. Thac0 bonus and damage improve by 1 per 5 levels, to a maximum of +5 at level 25. Range improves by 5 every 5 levels to a maximum of 25 at level 25.

You may recognise this one as having being packaged separately before:

SHARPSHOOTER: This sort of thief tends to be a stealthy character, preferring to engage their target from afar with bolt or arrow rather than face them in dangerous melee combat. Unlike the ranger, they use their skills to aid their dubious activities involving the property and lives of others rather than the protection of the great outdoors.

Although well - versed in the use of many missile weapons, the sharpshooter is not as resilient as a true warrior and the propensity for missile attacks over melee means that they lack the opportunism of other thieves when it comes to backstabbing. They tend not to see this as a disadvantage, instead striking from the shadows with a well - aimed projectile, or setting a deadly trap for those who would follow, when necessary.

Advantages:-Â Can attain Mastery in any missile weapon a Thief can use-Â May coat his missile weapon in poison once per day per 4 levels. Attacks made with the weapon in the next round will inject the poison into the target, dealing out 1 damage per second for 24 seconds (3 damage for the first 6 seconds).Â A saving throw vs. poison limits damage to 12 total.

Version 2 introduces the Shadowdancer thief kit, which will also appear in the Elai NPC mod:

SHADOWDANCER: Operating in the border between light and darkness, Shadowdancers are nimble artists of deception. They are mysterious and unknown, never completely trusted but always inducing wonder when met. Despite their link with shadows and trickery, Shadowdancers are as often good as evil. They may use their incredible abilities as they wish.

Shadowdancers often work in troupes, never staying in one place too long. Some use their abilities to entertain. Others operate as thieves, using their abilities to infiltrate past defenses and dupe others. All Shadowdancer troupes maintain an aura of mystery among the populace, who never know whether to think well or ill of them.

Advantages:- Gains a +5% bonus to Hide and Move Silently skills per 2 levels- Has permanent Infravision- May cast Reflected Image once per day- From level 5, can summon a Shadow once per day. The Shadow increases in power as the Shadowdancer gains levels, has stealthy abilities, and is summoned for 8 hours.- From level 8, may cast Shadow Door once per day. Further uses are gained at levels 14 and 20.

Disadvantages:- May not set traps- Only gains 15 skill points per level